St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-06-16
G. A. r.. AND THE PRESIDENT.
The Iowa Boys and General Sherman
Discuss the Situation.

The Iowa Boys and General Sherman
Discuss the Situation.
Iowa Grand Army men are very
much exercised at the prospect of Pres
ident Cleveland's attending the Grand
Army encampment at st. Louis next
fall. The Des Moines Grand Army
post has passed resolutions declaring
"that proper regard for common de-
cency and for the dignity of the Off
cial position he now fills should have
caused Grover Cleveland to see that he
cannot expect to be kindly greeted by
Union soldiers, after vetOes of ! 10 PEN
sion bills, in which with satanic glee
he so grossly insulted every Union sol
der" and also recommend that if Mr..
Cleveland insists upon going, "that he
send substitute, and if possible the
person who represented him in the ar
my during the war;" This action on
the part of his old comrades brings ont
a letter from Gen. w. t. Sherman, in
which he says:
dents action in certain pension bills
enters into this unhappy controversy.
There were many private bills, and
one of the general nature, which the
president vetoed. The constitution of
the United States cOmpels the presi
dent to approve or veto each separate
bill as it reaches him from congress.
If approved it becomes a law, if vetoed
it requires an increased majority OF
congress to pass it, but the president
can only account for his Judgment by
his own conception of duty and to his
God. We, as soldiers, must submit to
it, because it is the law. | do not be-
lieve this government can ever be too
charitable to the old soldiers wound
ed, or in distress by age and intirmity,
and had l been near Mr.. Cleveland l
would not have ventured to advise
him on the general bill, but as to the
private cases, would have said, Char
ity enters largely into all pensions,
and when any special bills have pass
ed the ordeal of the committees of the
senate and house approve them but
on the general bill exercise your full
constitutional power Honest men
differ widely on this question of pen
siOns to our old and feeble comrades.
We all want to do what is right, but
differ as to the means. All we know
is, that after 20 odd years after the
civil war, the government of the Unit
ed States, under republican and demo-
cratic rule, pay out to our soldiers OF
the Union army about 100000 900 per
year, and few thousands to the Mex
lean var veterans regardless of lOcali-
ty, and not one cent to the rebels OF
the South, whom we fought in the civ
il war. We old soldiers of the civil
war have not yet just cause to make
an issue on the question of pensions to
our infirm and wounded comrades.
advise you to go right along, prepare
the way for the Grand Army of the re-
public at it's session of 1887, at St.
Louis and receive them as they de-
serve, as hOnOred guests; also the
president of the United States with
such other hOnOred guests as may
grace the occasion. If any of our com
rades feel hurt at the association they
can remain at home, but the sun will
rise each morning, the seasons will
follow each other in quick succession,
and the world, with it's myriads of PEG
pie will go right along just the same